81 Percent Of Dollar Store Products Tested Contain Chemicals Linked To Learning Disabilities, Cancer And Serious Illnesses.pdf (PDFy mirror)

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81 Percent Of Dollar Store Products Tested
Contain Chemicals Linked To Learning
Disabilities, Cancer And Serious Illnesses
by PREVENT DISEASE | FEBRUARY 10, 2015
164 dollar store products
contained at least one
hazardous chemical above
levels of concern
HealthyStuff, in
collaboration with the
Campaign for Healthier
Solutions, released a report
today about toxic chemicals
found in Dollar store
products. The report — A
Day Late and a Dollar Short:
Discount Retailers are
Falling Behind on Safer
Chemicals — includes
testing results for 164 dollar
store products such as toys,
jewelry, school supplies and
other household items, that
found over 81% (133 of 164) contained at least one hazardous chemical above levels of concern.
The campaign also sent a letter to the CEO’s of the four largest Dollar store chains — including Family
Dollar (tentatively acquired by Dollar Tree on January 22), Dollar Tree, Dollar General, and 99 Cents
Only urging them to stop the sale of products with hazardous chemicals to communities of color and
low-income families, who already live in more polluted areas and “food deserts,” and adopt policies
that will protect both customers and their businesses. Combined these discount chains have sales
totaling over $36 billion and operate more stores nationally than Walmart.
“People struggling to make ends meet are confined to shopping at the Dollar stores,” said Jose T.
Bravo, National Coordinator for the Campaign for Healthier Solutions. “We are already
disproportionately affected by pollution and lack of adequate medical care, and now we know we’re
filling our homes and our bodies with chemicals released from Dollar store products. This needs to
stop. ”
“We’ve tested 1,000′s of products from dozens of retailers over the last ten years, said Jeff Gearhart,
HealthyStuff Research Director. “And on average the dollar store products are some of the poorest
peforming from a chemical hazard perspective. I am particularly concerned about the comparatively
high percentage of products containing hazardous plasticizers. ”
The chemicals of concern found in Dollar store products tested for this report include: phthalates,
linked to birth defects, reduced fertility, cancer, learning disabilities, diabetes, and other health issues;
polyvinyl chloride plastic (PVC or vinyl), which creates hazards throughout its life cycle and has been
linked to asthma and lung effects; and toxic metals such as lead, which harms brain development,
leading to learning disabilities, lower IQ, and cause other serious health impacts, especially in children.
Other key findings from the report include:
• 49% of products tested (80 of 164) contained two or more hazardous chemicals above levels of
concern;
• 38% of the products tested (63 of 164) contained the toxic plastic PVC (vinyl);
• 32% of a subset of vinyl products tested for phthalates (12 of 38) contained levels of phthalates
above the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) limit for children’s products.
In addition, 40% of sales at Dollar stores go toward food products (not tested for this report) — much
of which is highly processed with low nutritional quality, and whose packaging is another potential
source of toxic chemicals including bisphenol-A (BPA), a synthetic hormone linked to breast and others
cancers, reproductive problems, obesity, early puberty and heart disease.
Fortunately, there is a growing movement by
mainstream retail and manufacturing brands —
including Target and Walmart — to respond to
consumer demand for safer products with publicly-
available corporate policies that identify, disclose,
and replace priority toxic chemicals with safer
alternatives. By failing to address toxic chemicals
through comprehensive policies, Dollar chains are
not only putting their customers at risk, they are
exposing their businesses to the fate of companies
like Mattel, which lost 18% of its value after
recalling toys with lead paint, and Sigg USA, which
went bankrupt after failing to disclose toxic BPA in its water bottles.
The Campaign for Healthier Solutions is asking for a comprehensive set of reforms, including that:
Discount Retailers immediately remove children’s products found to contain regulated phthalates and
lead from store shelves; and adopt comprehensive corporate chemical management policies to identify,
disclose, and remove hazardous chemicals from their supply chains and from all products in their
stores, beginning with their house brands.
Local, State, and Federal Governments ensure that discount retailers comply with all relevant laws and
regulations; and adopt public policies (such as Maine’s Kid-Safe Products Law and Washington’s
Children’s Safe Products Act) that require manufacturers and retailers to disclose hazardous chemicals
in products, research alternatives, and remove hazardous chemicals when alternatives are available,
effective, and safer.
Families and Communities let Dollar store chains know that they want safer products, and join local
and national efforts advocating for nontoxic products.
Complete test results are available at HealthyStuff.org. The full report and more information about the
Campaign are available at www.nontoxicdollarstores.org
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